Confessions
by shannyfish
Summary: Horatio and Calleigh both end up shot and alone. They confess what they know they should have done long ago...
1. Life is Delicate

**Title:** Confessions

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Horatio and Calleigh both end up shot and alone. They confess what they know they should have done long ago…

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Character Study, Drama, Friendship, Pre-Relationship, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Frank Tripp (Other)

**Warnings:** none

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 1 "Life is Delicate"

**Author's Notes: **I had no intentions of making this story more than a chapter, but alas…my brain does not agree with what I had planned… This story, though, won't be more than five chapters… ;) I have too many CSI: Miami storylines going at the moment.

…………………………………..

The bright rays that broke in through nearby windows were what had roused Horatio from his pained unconscious state. The white ceiling did nothing to remind him of where he was or how he had gotten there. He soon picked up on the beeping, and rolled his head to one side. Machines were monitoring his vital signs, and Horatio immediately knew where he was.

Hospital.

How had he ended up there? Horatio had such a good record in Miami. This was the first time he had been seriously injured while on his tour of duty there. He wanted to know what had happened… Currently things were a blur, and he found that horrible. Reaching out, he pressed the button to summon the nurse. He wanted answers, whether the nurse knew them or not he wasn't sure. He could hear familiar voices in the hall, and Horatio desperately wanted to go to them and ask them what had happened. When he tried to move though, his body rebelled by sending pain up and down his body. At the moment, the information would have to come to him.

The nurse came in alone. She was young with a cheery smile, but all Horatio currently cared about were answers. "I need to talk to one of my team," he told her. To his surprise, his voice sounded weak and a bit strained.

"Don't you think that can wait until later, Lieutenant?"

Horatio had hoped to be able to see someone once she was finished taking vitals, but he was simply told to 'rest up' instead. "I need to talk to someone about what happened!" He watched the nurse turn, and the look of sadness on her face made his heart skip a beat. What couldn't he remember? At least not yet?

"Your friend is in critical care. They managed to extract the bullet, but it was close to the spinal cord."

"Who?" he asked and then remembered. "Calleigh…" Slowly, things started to come back to him. "I need to see her," he said quietly.

"Right now, the doctors are only letting family members in."

"Someone needs to call her father."

"I believe he's already there, Lieutenant. You rest, and I'll let you know in a bit."

He didn't have a chance to respond, she just quickly left. Horatio closed his eyes and let the tears that had been building up fall down his cheeks. He needed to see her…to tell her what she couldn't hear when he had said it… He stared back up at the blank ceiling, and replayed what had happened…

"We sure about this Calleigh?" Horatio asked as they got out of the Hummer, both of them drawing their weapons up.

"Trace says this is the only place it grows 'round here," Calleigh reminded him. She knew why he was questioning it though…the whole area looked vacant. "There's a lot of high brush out here…and he could easily have a camp out here."

"Let's be carefully," he warned. It was true; there were a lot of places where the suspect could easily hide.

Calleigh nodded and then looked over at Horatio. "We should call for back up, even air support…"

"They won't get here in time," Horatio argued. "He might have already seen us, and be on the move."

"We may need it," Calleigh told him.

Horatio nodded, it was better to be safe, but he wasn't about to let a serial rapist get away. "You call, I'll start in."

Arguing with him would do no good, Calleigh already knew. So, she quickly opened her phone and placed the call to Tripp. Her call was all of twenty seconds before she was rushing out to Horatio's side. He already knew that things were in place, so there was no need to verbalize it.

After they were pretty far in, Horatio could see black material of a tent jutting up ahead of them. He motioned for Calleigh to go around one side, while he took the other. He was not going to let the guy get away.

Calleigh kept her gun up, and her eyes scanned the area as she slowly headed around the other one. With Horatio out of her sight, she started to move a bit quicker not comfortable with the current situation. A shot rang out and Calleigh stopped for a second before taking a hurried step and tripping over a piece of branch in front of her. Pushing herself to her feet quickly, Calleigh headed in the direction of the shot. A second shot, and Calleigh's mind rushed at the possibilities.

Coming upon the scene, she found both Horatio and the suspect down. She checked the suspect since he was closer. She kept her gun aimed at him just in case as she bent down. Slipping two fingers to his neck, she waited to see if he was still alive.

No pulse.

She moved to Horatio, fearing the worst, but relieved when he started to move about. "Stay still," she instructed as she gently pushed him back down to the ground. Setting her gun down, she applied pressure with one hand as she skillfully got her cell phone out with the other and dialed for help.

"I'm okay," Horatio managed as his eyes finally focused.

"You WILL be," she told him before identifying herself, her position, and letting them know that they had an officer down. Putting the phone down, she applied pressure with both hands. The wound was to his abdomen and Calleigh hoped that since he was arguing with her that that meant it hadn't hit any major organs.

He was still moving, and Calleigh frowned at him. "Horatio, stop moving around. Stay still for me," she said softly. She moved one of her hands to cup his face gently and smiled down at him. "Help's on the way, Darlin'."

"Calleigh," he started, but then what he saw behind his best friend scared him to death. A man with his gun aimed at Calleigh. "Calleigh," he repeated, this time more urgently.

"Shh…" she whispered as she placed a finger to his lips. "Just stay still."

Bringing his hand up, gun still in his grip he played a dangerous game as he pulled the trigger. He watched as Calleigh peeked back over her shoulder. He heard the shot, and Calleigh fell to his chest with her eyes shut right after. Bringing his other hand up to her back he held her close as he watched her attacked go down. "Calleigh?" he whispered, unable to see her wound for himself. When she didn't respond, he laid there listening to her steady breathing, it was reassuring at the very least. She was still alive.

They were already on their way, he reminded himself. Calleigh had called them, so that rescue would come. He kept his arm around her, holding her close. Horatio kept his gun aimed at the man who had shot Calleigh, unsure if he was alive or not. "Calleigh, Rescue's coming," he told her hoping for some movement…a word…or even a murmur.

Calleigh slowly opened her eyes, and when they focused, she smiled at Horatio. "It hurts," she whispered and then let her eyes shut again forcing tears from her eyes.

He watched helplessly as tears fell from her beautiful green-blue eyes and rolled down her cheeks. He wanted to take the pain…to take it on for both of them… "I know," he whispered. He had pushed away his own pain to think about her, and he just hoped that Frank and the Rescue team were well on their way, he wasn't sure how much blood Calleigh had lost. As far as he could tell he was okay for the time being. "You hold on, Sweetheart. Frank and Rescue are coming…"

She started to feel sleepy, and gave into it letting her eyelids slowly close.

"Stay with me, Calleigh."

Blinking her eyes to keep them open, she smiled at him. "I love you, Horatio," she whispered and this time closed her eyes completely feeling unconsciousness tugging at her brain.

Horatio just stared at her for a while in shock. His best friend loved him… He shook her a bit, "Calleigh… Calleigh…wake up…" The blaring of sirens brought Horatio's brain into remembering that help was coming. "They're almost here, Calleigh," he whispered after kissing her cheek. She'd always been there for him…he'd just never had wanted to ruin their relationship. Hearing the doors to vehicles slamming shut, he decided if he was going to say anything that it was time. "I love you, too."

"Calleigh! Horatio!" Frank yelled as he ran with his gun drawn, not sure what to expect.

"Over here, Frank!" Horatio called, he wanted to get up and wave them over, but that would mean jarring Calleigh and himself. He felt absolutely helpless as he lay there, but when he could hear footfalls, he felt some relief.

"Oh God," Frank breathed. "They're not going to be able to get the gurney out here." With the high grass and brush along with the uneven terrain it made it difficult to get to people for emergency services. "I thought you were hit," he said as he carefully rolled Calleigh over so that she was cradled in his arms.

"I _am_ shot," he groaned as the weight was moved from his body and he felt his own pain again. He took the hand of one of the officer's and took his assistance in getting to his feet.

"This one's alive!" one of the officer's called.

Horatio looked over to see that the man who shot Calleigh was still breathing. "She's mostly been unconscious," he told Frank not wanting to be standing around.

Tripp nodded and looked over at his officers, "Get that guy to the hospital." Frank could tell the guy wasn't bleeding too bad, and knew that Calleigh was in far worse condition.

As they neared the ambulance, the EMTs tried to provide assistance to Horatio, but he stubbornly refused anything more than help up into the bus and some gauze to hold over his wound. Calleigh was his priority at the moment. He was kicking himself for all the times where he knew Calleigh had been hurt by other men (John Hagen, Peter Elliott, and Jake Berkley), where now he wished he had spoken up earlier. And now…now Calleigh didn't even know, he had said it…but he had been too late. Calleigh had been unconscious when he had confessed his feelings to her…

"The nurses say stop pushing the button," Frank told Horatio as he entered his hospital room. "They're not letting me see Calleigh either…" He sighed as he found the seat next to his friend's bed. "I managed to get information from one of the doctors though… He said that the operation went well. They extracted the bullet and they're hopeful that there won't be paralysis. They're just waiting for the swelling along the spinal cord to go down."

Horatio wished they had been put in the same room. It would have solved so many problems… "Did you call her father?"

"Yeah, Duke's not being very receptive to MDPD. He's blaming us for Calleigh getting shot. Alexx says she's going to try and talk to him in a while…and then let us know how Calleigh seems to her."

"Is she conscious?"

"Not that I know of," Frank relayed. "I think that's why Duke's so upset. He's probably just waiting for her to wake up and tell him that she's going to be okay." He just hoped that Calleigh's father would calm down, and come to his senses. He was keeping out all of Calleigh's friends…and people who were practically more of a family to her than her own father. He was sure that he spent more time with Calleigh, let alone Horatio and the others. "She's going to be okay, Horatio."

"I hope so."

Frank tilted his head, studying Horatio. The man was still staring up at the ceiling, and Frank was starting to wonder what was so interesting. "So, that guy who shot Calleigh…he was helping our suspect. Apparently he was the guy who mapped things out and drove." Frank didn't add the fact that the guy said it was his first time firing a gun, because he already thought that the guy had shot pretty well to do damage. If you couldn't hit the heart, then anywhere that would cause damage usually worked. Frank was just happy that the guy hadn't severed Calleigh's spinal cord.

"Did you ever love your best friend?" Horatio suddenly asked quietly as he studied the plain, white ceiling above him.

"My dog when I was like four," Frank responded with a bit of a laugh.

He had loved Yelina…but where had that gotten him? His brother had married her, and made her untouchable. Horatio swore that when she had married Ray, he hadn't only taken her as his wife, but he had corrupted her in some way. Yelina had never been the same to him after that. He'd always take care of his family if they needed him, but he couldn't love Yelina. Not in the way Ray had.

Marisol had come into his life suddenly and it seemed like she had been taken away just as suddenly. He had loved Marisol, but differently… He wasn't sure if that was because he had wanted a family, if he wanted to just protect her…to keep some kind of relationship with her, or if it was because he didn't love her truly. She had been beautiful, and had tolerated his career…but she had also been killed because of it.

Calleigh was different. She was different from every woman he had ever felt like he may have loved her… Calleigh was his best friend, and the one woman he couldn't possibly ever hurt…she was the love that he couldn't stand to ever lose. But what if their job, if he had caused her to be killed like Marisol had? She had put down her weapon to put pressure on his wound, but if he had been smarter and shot the suspect before he even had a chance to shoot him, maybe they wouldn't be in their current situation…

But there were road blocks littered all over. Their jobs were a big one. They worked together, they were both police officers and CSIs, and he was her boss. It wasn't something that they liked in their profession. But he knew that he could deal with that…he could make it work; prove to the disbelievers that they could work just fine together. Another was Eric Delko, Marisol had been his sister and it had only been a year since his late wife's death. He wasn't sure if Eric would support their relationship (if they had one), or if he'd try to talk them out of it.

"It is my fault," Horatio spoke quietly. "I should have protected her."

"You tried, and Calleigh knows that… Do you really think that she's going to blame you?" Frank questioned with a frown. "You weren't exactly in the best shape to help protect anyways."

"She doesn't know…"

Frank sighed and leaned against the bed rail, "Horatio, I think she just might…"

"She didn't hear—"

Smirking a bit, he shook his head and leaned back in the chair, "I think you're not giving her enough credit, Horatio."

It didn't seem to matter. He couldn't see her or ask her if she knew… Horatio just hoped that Duke would let them in to see her once she woke up. She was unconscious, but her father was with her, at least that meant that she made it out of surgery alright. Extracting bullets from vital areas was a hard one, and a delicate one, and Horatio told himself that he had to have faith that Calleigh would continue to be in good health…she had made it that far…

……………………………………

TBC…


	2. The Blame Game

**Title:** Confessions

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Horatio and Calleigh both end up shot and alone. They confess what they know they should have done long ago…

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Character Study, Drama, Friendship, Pre-Relationship, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Frank Tripp (Other), Alexx Woods

**Warnings:** none

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 2 "The Blame Game"

**Author's Notes: **none

…………………………………….

"Mr. Duquesne?" Alexx asked as she entered Calleigh's private room at the hospital. She had felt odd knocking, not wanting to disturb Calleigh knowing that she was resting… Though she wasn't even sure if her friend was conscious. She saw Calleigh's father sitting in a chair to one side of Calleigh holding her hand. She noticed that he briefly looked up at her, but then looked back down at Calleigh. "I know you told the nurses you didn't want anyone else to see her…but I was wondering if you'd allow it? I'm Alexx Woods; I'm the ME with the Crime Lab. Detective Tripp and Lieutenant Caine would like to see her also, if you'd allow us."

He looked over at the woman again, "You want me to let the man who is responsible for my daughter being in the hospital and possibly will never walk again _see_ her?!" Kenwall shouted getting up and taking a couple steps towards the woman.

Alexx frowned and wondered if anyone had told Calleigh's father that they had the guy. If not, she certainly was going to inform him right away. "Mr. Duquesne, they got the guy. He came out of surgery and he's cuffed to the bed and he's being guarded by two officers."

"Horatio Caine is responsible for her being shot!" he spat. "I don't want him anywhere near my daughter!" He huffed and went back to his seat.

Shock at what she'd just heard kept her quiet for a minute before she spoke up again, "Horatio Caine was not responsible for Calleigh being shot. They didn't know that the guy they were after had a partner… Horatio was down when Calleigh was shot and he's the one that shot _him_. He was protecting her."

Kenwall huffed, "The man is dangerous!"

Calleigh could hear shouting and let out a groan as pain shot up her body. She quickly started to recognize the voices in the room. Alexx and her father… She let out a whimper as she slowly opened her eyes just a bit. "Stop yelling," she mumbled softly.

"Lambchop," Kenwall said softly and reached up and brushed hair away from her face. "Hey Darlin'…"

"Not…not –ratio's…fault…" she managed to mostly get out. She could hear her own voice, it was quiet and her voice was faltering. Calleigh let out another whimper and tears wet her eyes.

"You rest," Alexx told Calleigh walking up to the other side of her friend's bed, knowing that she didn't need to be arguing in her condition. "They removed the bullet… You're going to need to rest in the hospital for at least a couple days though…" She smiled down at her friend and tried to be reassuring. "It's going to be a while until you're 100, but it's gonna be alright, Honey." She didn't want to bring up the possibility of paralysis…it wasn't her place and she would rather be hopeful even if she was the doctor in charge.

"-ratio…?" she fought to get out.

"He's resting across the hall. I told him that I'd come and check on you and then tell him how you were doing."

Kenwall frowned; he didn't understand why his daughter was so concerned about the other man. As far as he was concerned Horatio Caine might as well have pulled the trigger himself. He was the cause of it all, and he knew that they hadn't waited for back up. "You should sleep," he finally spoke up again, quietly this time.

Alexx nodded in agreement and brushed hair away from Calleigh's face and cupped her friend's cheek, "You get some rest… I'll go tell Horatio that you're doing better. Maybe tomorrow you'll be up to having him over?" she suggested knowing that since Calleigh was awake, she could make her own decisions. They were no longer bond by her father's, though she knew he wasn't going to like it. She looked up to see Calleigh's father glaring, but ignored him. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The walk across the hall seemed like a long one, and Alexx wondered just how things would go with Calleigh having to stay in the hospital and her father not being too receptive to members of the Crime Lab. She entered Horatio's room and saw that Frank was still in the chair on one side and Horatio was back to staring at the ceiling. The two men apparently couldn't be social. "She just woke up," Alexx reported, which got both men's attention. "Her father, though…upset her…"

"What?" Frank asked. "Duke should know better…she's his daughter after all."

Alexx sighed and took a seat on the other side of Horatio.

"She's alright?" Horatio asked.

She shrugged, "She's awake…she moved her head…we'll have to see how much movement she'll regain. Her words were slurred, but I think that's from the medication they have her on." Alexx smiled over at Horatio, "She was worried about you."

Horatio gave Alexx a nod. He was worried about her, too, but they all already knew that.

"Why was Duke upset?" Frank finally asked.

"He-he blames Horatio for Calleigh being shot," Alexx told him. She knew that it wasn't true, but they'd find out eventually. It was better than a yelling match.

"What?! That's insane! It could have easily been anyone shot out there!"

Horatio sighed and closed his eyes. The last thing he needed was for Calleigh's father to hate him. He wanted to see her…he needed to see her. He needed to tell her what she had missed. "Is he staying the night?" he asked quietly wondering if he'd be able to manage convincing someone to let him go across the hall to see Calleigh.

"I dunno, Honey. Tomorrow, I told Calleigh we'd all go over and visit…" Alexx told him. She patted his arm, "Tomorrow…"

……………………………………………….

TBC…


	3. It's Alright

**Title:** Confessions

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Horatio and Calleigh both end up shot and alone. They confess what they know they should have done long ago…

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Character Study, Drama, Friendship, Pre-Relationship, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Alexx Woods

**Warnings:** none

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 3 "It's alright"

**Author's Notes: **none

……………………………………

"It's alright, Honey," Alexx soothed Calleigh as the doctor examined her spinal cord. "It's going to take at least a couple days for the swelling to go down." With Kenwall Duquesne out in the hall with the rest of the boys, Alexx was able to soothe Calleigh with optimism rather than pessimism and panic. She could see the fear in her friend's eyes, and she knew that it was a real fear, but she'd much rather wait until they knew Calleigh's permanent injuries for sure. She stroked Calleigh's hair and watched as the doctor examined. She watched as tears rolled down her friend's face, and knew that she was scared…

"It looks like it's healing nicely."

Alexx smiled at Calleigh and wiped away her tears, "You hear that, Baby?"

"We'll be able to tell more by the end of the week."

"Thank you, Doctor," Alexx said when Calleigh didn't speak up.

"Would you like me to let your friends in?"

"Why don't you give us a couple more minutes without the boys?" She watched the doctor nod and then leave, shutting the door behind him. She turned her attention back to Calleigh, "You see? You're getting better…" Alexx stood up and made sure that Calleigh's hospital gown was tucked back in place and that the sheet was pulled up…just in case. "There's no need to worry."

Calleigh wanted to believe Alexx, but so many things questioned Alexx's promise. What if she couldn't walk? Sure, she could move her arms and her upper body, but could she still be a CSI? Could she still work ballistics? Would she even be the same? Could she go on with her life? "What…what if it's not?" she asked tearfully.

Sighing, Alexx stroked Calleigh's hair again, "Honey…_if_ something isn't the same…and that's a big_ if_… We'll help you through it… You have so many people who love you in your life, Calleigh. We're going to be here for you, Honey…"

Calleigh merely nodded, not sure if that would help her or not… She felt like there were so many things that she hadn't done with her life, and if she wasn't herself again…would she still be able to do them? She wasn't so sure. Alexx though, seemed to be the one person that she'd seen since she'd been in the hospital that had really told her things would be okay… Her father had cried, and had told her that he didn't want her to be a cop or CSI anymore and that she was too good for that… And the doctors really hadn't said much of anything, and she doubt they would say much until they were more sure of things. She sighed feeling completely wiped from just the examination…stress from it all had just drained her. She tried to lighten the mood a bit, "Do you think that I'll have a huge scar?"

Alexx smiled, "I doubt it…"

"Awww…no battle scar?"

Alexx laughed lightly before she noticed that Eric was peeking in, she guessed that he had been picked to check up on them. "Give us another minute, Eric," she said and watched as he closed the door again. "Listen to me, Honey. You make sure that none of these boys overstep their boundaries… If they start to get on your nerves, they gotta go."

Calleigh smiled brightly at that, "I think I can handle that."

"I mean it, even your dad."

"I know…"

Alexx nodded, "Alright…well I'll let them in…and I'll make sure Natalia helps with the babysitting of the boys."

"Alexx?"

"Yeah?" she asked as she got up.

"Horatio?" Calleigh asked, she hadn't heard about him yet that day…and she hadn't had the chance to see him. She had thought that perhaps they would have been put into the same room, but that hadn't happened.

"He wants to visit, but let's wait until the crowd is gone, huh? I'll make sure Frank or I bring him over and you two can have private visiting hours… Your dad isn't exactly happy with him right now."

"I got that impression when I got lectured on how I needed to quit Miami-Dade PD last night," she mumbled annoyed. "I at least could sleep through the end of it… Me correcting him only made things worse, so I was happy when the drugs kicked in."

Alexx smiled sympathetically, "Just make sure you do what's right for you, Baby."

……………………………………

Alexx and Natalia had ended up stopping a fight from occurring between her father and Frank…which almost included Eric and Ryan. The fight had ended up getting them all banned for the rest of the day. It also gave Alexx the chance to get Horatio. She knew that Kenwall would never let it happen unless he was out of the room. So, Alexx got a nurse to help her get Horatio into a wheelchair. That in itself had been its own event, since Horatio had insisted the whole time that not only could he get into the wheelchair, but walk across the hall. Of course, Horatio had been having trouble standing on his own two feet as they got him to the wheelchair.

Finally, with him in the wheelchair Alexx wheeled him across the hall and into Calleigh's room. She found Calleigh asleep, and when Alexx went to apologize, Horatio simply asked to sit there with her. Nodding, Alexx left them, and told him that she'd be down in the cafeteria having coffee.

Horatio reached up and took Calleigh's hand into his and squeezed it. He was worried that there was serious damage to her back with her lying only on her side. Alexx had told him that the bullet had been dangerously close to her spinal cord, but what if she hadn't told him everything? "Calleigh, Sweetheart…" he whispered as he stared down at her hand as he ran his thumb over the top of it. "I'm here…" He wasn't sure how assuring it was when she was asleep, but he hoped it was a bit.

"Hey," she whispered and slowly opened her eyes. Some of the medication she was on made her tired, even more so than all the upset earlier had made her. But Horatio's visit was something that she didn't want to miss. "You should have woken me up…"

"No, you need your rest," he said quietly looking up at her. She looked pale, but she was smiling at him.

Calleigh squeezed his hand back, "I'll rest when my dad comes back and starts lecturing me again," she told him smiling. "How ya feelin'?"

"I'm okay. How are you?"

"I'm alright…" Calleigh started and then stared down at their joined hands, "They don't know if it'll be able to walk again…" she whispered sadly.

"You will," he said confidently. Horatio promised himself that he'd fulfill that promise for her…somehow. "You will."

She smiled at him, "You and Alexx might just help me through this…"

After a minute of silence, Horatio looked straight into her eyes, "Calleigh—" But her eyes had closed again… "I love you," he whispered and let his forehead rest against the hand he was still holding.

Eventually, she'd hear him…

………………………………….

TBC…


	4. Finally

**Title:** Confessions

**Author:** innocent choir girl (ff-dot-net), shannyfish (From Out of the Lab/Miami Heat/LJ)

**Summary:** Horatio and Calleigh both end up shot and alone. They confess what they know they should have done long ago…

**Category: **Ship Ahoy! Calleigh/Horatio

**Genres:** Angst, Character Study, Drama, Friendship, Pre-Relationship, Suspense

**Characters:** Horatio Caine, Calleigh Duquesne, Alexx Woods

**Warnings:** none

**Rating:** PG-13

**Chapter:** 4 "Finally…"

**Author's Notes: **this is the final chapter of "Confessions". See! I told ya it wouldn't be more than five chapters… EHEHEHEHEHE Usually I have to tie up all loose ends, but perhaps I will revisit this storyline for a sequel later on ;)

…………………………………..

Days passed, and Calleigh was relieved to be released from the hospital. There was still swelling on her spinal cord, but it had gone down and for as much they knew she was going to get almost full movement back…it would just take time. She wasn't allowed out in the field, and had to attend physical therapy. The doctors had also limited her time standing, not wanting her to cause anymore damage. It felt odd that she was being released because Calleigh felt like she should be 100, but at the same time she was ready to go home… She wanted privacy and to sleep in her own bed. She wanted just those simple things that she had been without being in the hospital.

"Are you ready, Ma'am?"

Calleigh smiled seeing Horatio at the door. He had been released three days earlier, and had been spending the later hours of the evening with her in the hospital. The men had argued, at least they had tried to do it quietly in the hallway, on who was to pick her up and because of obligations with work…Horatio was the one who ended up being able to break free to get her. "Ya know I'm perfectly fine," Calleigh said, "I don't need this wheelchair."

"Procedure, Ma'am," he reminded knowing that he hadn't wanted to be wheeled out the other day and hated feeling so dependent on others. "You do want out of here, don't you?" he asked with a bright smile as he started to push the wheelchair out. A nurse was waiting to accompany them out, so she could retrieve the wheelchair once Calleigh was in the car.

"Yes… I do," she told him. "But I miss walking…" Calleigh had realized just how hard it would have been if she'd lost mobility, and she knew that that road would have been one that would have broken who she had worked so hard to be.

Horatio smiled, "I have orders from your doctors," he told her looking down at her surprised look as she looked up towards him.

"I can walk…" Calleigh told him wondering exactly how much the doctors had told him. She hated to look weak, especially in the eyes of the guys she worked with. She had worked so long to prove that she could do just as well as any of the guys she worked with. She had made it to Detective, and most of the guys were shocked with her rank… She didn't want to have to rebuild all of that all over again.

"We're going to take it easy," Horatio told her as they exited the hospital and Horatio pushed her in the direction of the Hummer.

"Horatio—" she started to argue.

Stopping, he unlocked the Hummer and opened the passenger side door. Turning around, he stopped Calleigh from standing, and scooped her up into his arms. He heard the nurse arguing, she was on duty when he had been there and he was sure it was something concerning his own injuries. Once, Calleigh was in the seat, he closed the door and thanked the nurse as she took away the wheelchair before walking around and getting into the driver's seat.

"Horatio, I can still work. The doctors even said I was doing much better than most people do with the injury I sustained," Calleigh immediately defended the moment his door opened on the other side.

He sat in the driver's seat for a minute, silent. He didn't want to argue about work… So, Horatio started the Hummer and started away from the hospital.

The scene before her wasn't her home, and it wasn't the Crime Lab… Calleigh started to wonder what exactly was going on. She had taken Horatio's silence as there was either a problem or he was mad at her. She chose the first as the most likely. The ocean was in front of them, they were parked up on a cliff overlooking one of the many beaches of Miami. It was beautiful…and relaxing to watch… But Calleigh wanted to know what was going on. She was about to ask him what was going on, when he started talking first.

"What do you remember of when you were shot?" he asked quietly, keeping his eyes on the ocean, but removing his sunglasses.

Confusion crossed her face as she thought about his question, "Looking over my shoulder, the sound of the gunfire...the smell…the pain…" Calleigh frowned, "I remember you had me…but everything was sort of fuzzy… Why?"

"You don't remember anything I've said since then?"

"We talked about not being such workaholics yesterday…" Calleigh told him even more confused.

Horatio smiled, they had joked that they could never not be workaholics…and Horatio was sure that there was some truth in that. "When you were shot, Calleigh…you said something to me…" Horatio was starting to wonder if she had been delirious at the time…if it was something that she didn't even know she was saying or if maybe she thought he was someone else.

Blush reddened her cheeks, and she could feel the heat in them as she remembered what he was talking about. "I remember… I thought you knew…but I wanted you to hear it," she confessed. "It felt right… I don't regret it. Horatio, you're my best friend, and I trust you with every part of my being…"

"You never heard me," he told her with a smile as he watched her. "I told you so many times…and every time you had fallen asleep on me." Horatio reached out for one of her hands, "So, let me say it now…"

"I already know."

Horatio was a bit surprised at that statement. Was he that transparent? He had tried to keep his feelings hidden…or was it just because it was Calleigh? Calleigh had been able to read him through even his straightest of faces. She knew exactly what needed to be done in situations…and maybe she knew him better than he had thought.

Calleigh smiled, "We're probably two of the people who are at that lab the most, and you don't think I'd see something like that? It's just not...appropriate for work. Dating co-workers really isn't encouraged."

"I don't want to be miserable all my life," he whispered as he rubbed the top of her hand with his thumb. "I want to be happy…and I want you to be happy to." He knew that she was just as miserable in life as he'd been. They'd both had unfortunate relationships and he was sure that they both felt the same about needing happiness… They needed more than the Crime Lab.

"You don't have to be miserable, Horatio," Calleigh told him with a smile. She let her head relax against the headrest and smiled over at him.

Nodding, Horatio smiled and then looked out the windshield out at the water. Right now, it felt perfect. She knew…but he still hadn't said it, and he felt cheated in a way. But it didn't seem that Calleigh needed that verbal affirmation. "I'm not supposed to work for a couple days…"

"Me either," she huffed. She knew that since she had been shot that they had found someone to work ballistics and with her luck it was someone screwing up how she had things and someone incompetent…and most likely male.

Squeezing her hand, Horatio smiled, "You'll survive…"

"So, why don't you come and eat with me?" she offered. "We'll get take out and be recovering gunshot victims together." Calleigh knew that it would be hard…especially with their jobs, but they'd figure that out.

Horatio wasn't so sure it was a good idea; he couldn't tell if she wanted to pursue the idea of a relationship from what they'd talked about. He wanted a serious relationship, and though he didn't take Calleigh for someone who took relationship idly, he didn't want to mess up their friendship either. "Calleigh, I think—"

"Horatio Caine, are you about to turn down my invitation?" Calleigh asked frowning. She could feel his tension. But being miserable was only going to shorten both of their lives. "It's just take out…"

"Calleigh—"

Playing the defenseless maiden was not a card that Calleigh played often, but for Horatio to let down his guard and to join her for the evening, she could sacrifice it. "You do realize…without anyone to keep me company that I'll be walking around and if I fall because of swelling…no one will be there to save me." The smirk that she saw quickly form on his face told her that he didn't believe that she couldn't take care of herself, but she knew right then that she had won.

……………………………………..

Giggling, Calleigh realized that it had been quite some time since she had been so happy about something simple such as an evening at home. She and Horatio had gotten Chinese and had taken it back to her apartment. She had sat on the couch the whole time, as Horatio insisted he needed to get everything. It had become mildly entertaining at times. "Oh my…it's already midnight," Calleigh realized as she looked over at the clock. "How did it get to be so late?"

"I should go," Horatio told her. "I know that you've eaten and you've taken the prescriptions…" He got up ready to leave, smiling down at her. "Thank you."

"For what?" she asked propping her head up with her hand, she watched him.

"Tonight."

Calleigh smiled, "Ya don't haveta go yet… I'm not tired yet…" she told him hoping to convince him to stay. She had enjoyed their time together, just talking…no work… He smiled more, and seemed generally happier and more relaxed. "It's not like we're working tomorrow… No curfew."

Smirking, Horatio picked up his jacket off the back of one of her chairs, "You should rest."

"Sitting is resting," Calleigh told him. "Please?"

"Shall I tuck you in?" he joked. It seemed like she was using her not being asleep as her tactic, so tucking her into bed would certainly take care of her not walking around without him being there.

She frowned, "I suppose…if that's my only option," she conceded sighing. She wasn't ready to end the night just yet. "That means I gotta move…" Calleigh mumbled, she'd grown too accustom to her current position on the couch.

Horatio held out a hand and helped her to her feet. His hand found her back and he carefully helped her to her bedroom. He got her to the bed, where she sat facing him. "Now you're in your room safe and sound." He got down on one knee in front of her before she could say anything, "Now, I'm going to go home, but if you need anything, you call." Getting up, he squeezed her hand a bit and then leaned forward planning on kissing her forehead, but his brain changed its mind and his lips found hers. Pulling back, he breathed with his forehead against hers, "I love you, Calleigh…"

………………………………………

The End


End file.
